How to Make Buying a Home Less Stressful
Home buying can be one of the most stressful processes you’ll ever go through. You’re on a time crunch, you have thousands of dollars on the line, and you’re dealing with dozens of vendors, reams of paperwork, and, of course, just the struggles of everyday living.
Fortunately, there are ways to alleviate stress and make your home purchase smoother.
What is the most stressful part of buying a house?
One of the most stressful parts of buying a house can be securing financing. The process of getting a mortgage can be complex, and the fear of not getting approved for a loan can cause significant stress and anxiety.
Why is buying a house so stressful?
First-time homebuyers may not be familiar with the mortgage application process and may not have an established credit history or a significant down payment saved up. Lenders may require a lot of documentation, including pay stubs, tax returns, bank statements, and credit reports. The fear of not being able to provide everything the lender needs or not meeting the lender’s requirements can be overwhelming.
In addition, homebuyers may worry about getting the best interest rate and terms for their mortgage. The fear of making a financial mistake can cause significant stress and anxiety.
Overall, securing financing is a critical part of the home buying process, and it’s essential to work with a trusted mortgage broker who can help guide first-time homebuyers through the process and alleviate some of the stress.
How to minimize stress of buying a home?
Want to help ease your home buying process? Here’s how to make buying a house less stressful.
1. Have the right support system.
Creating the right support system is crucial if you want a stress-free home-buying experience. This includes in your personal life (your spouse, kids, colleagues, and extended family who might be helping you throughout your purchase) as well as your home buying relationships.
Take great care in choosing your real estate agent, lender, loan officer, and anyone else you do business with during the process. Ensure they’ll be there when you need them and have the knowledge and skills to guide your purchase successfully.
2. Get your ducks in a row first.
Applying for a mortgage is one of the most stressful and time-consuming parts of buying a home — and it requires lots of paperwork and financial documentation. To help reduce stress levels during the mortgage process, organize your documents before starting the home search.
Pull things like:
- Your last two tax returns
- Two recent pay stubs
- W2s, 1099s, and any other income statements you might have
- Bank and savings account statements
- 401K and retirement account statements
- Gift letters explaining any gift money from friends or family
- Copies of your last year of rent checks
- Proof of any alimony, child support, or spousal support income
You can also be sure your employer is ready to receive and complete your employment verification form. If you have traditional employment, this will be a key part of your mortgage application process.
3. Communicate early and often.
Things can get really stressful buying a house if you’re up against deadlines, so stay in touch with your vendors often. Make sure you know your option period and inspection window, and ask your agent if you have any questions regarding these steps.
Talk with your loan officer about any outstanding documentation they might need, and work to resolve these requests quickly to prevent any delays to closing.
If anything, aim to check in with each of your vendors at least once or twice a week to keep your expectations on track.
4. Make sure you have the right numbers.
Money always causes stress, so make sure you know everything you’ll owe before diving in. Once you find the house you want to purchase, you’ll need cash for your earnest money deposit and option fees. At closing, you’ll have closing costs (about 2 to 5% of the home’s price) as well as your down payment.
Make sure you think about long-term costs, too. If you decide not to use an escrow account, you’ll have your new mortgage payment, the costs of any maintenance or home repairs, your utilities, your HOA dues, property taxes, and home insurance payment.
Prevent any money-related stress by having a good grasp on the bigger financial picture of your home purchase.
5. Get pre-approved first.
Getting pre-approved for your mortgage can help immensely reduce stress during your home purchase. For one, it gives you a solid price range in which to be shopping, thereby cutting down on any financial-related stress from the get-go.
It also gives you a leg up on other buyers (hello, fewer bidding wars) and makes your final mortgage application process easier and more efficient. All of this means a faster and less stressful home-buying process on the whole.
6. Choose Your Vendors Wisely
The right mortgage lender and loan officer can alleviate much of your home buying stress.
Want to make sure your purchase is in the right hands?
Contact Embrace Home Loans today. We’ll take the weight off your shoulders.
